Contact lenses are stored in a purpose-built solution that is recommended by an eye care specialist. Contact lens wearers should stick to the recommended solution as the recommendation will be based upon the wearer's eyes and medical history. Water should never be used, again due to the fact that it can increase the risk of infection.
Old solution in a lens case should never be "topped off" with new solution - instead, only fresh solution should be used. Solution can become contaminated with microbes that cause infections, and simply adding fresh solution to old solution reduces how effective it is at eradicating germs.
Risky contact lens behaviors are common
According to the results of a recent CDC study, these bad behaviors are incredibly prevalent. The Contact Lens Risk Survey was completed by approximately 1,000 contact lens wearers, and around 99% of respondents reported at least one behavior associated with an increased risk of eye infections.
"Good vision contributes to overall wellbeing and independence for people of all ages, so it's important not to cut corners on healthy contact lens wear and care," reports CDC Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Jennifer Cope. "We are finding that many wearers are unclear about how to properly wear and care for contact lenses."
The following figures illustrate how prevalent some risky behaviors were among survey respondents:
Napping while wearing contact lenses - 87.1%
Showering while wearing contact lenses - 84.9%
Not replacing contact lens cases as frequently as recommended - 82.3%